Ever the Pet
by hundin
Summary: As a Rocket grunt, you may know only what you are explicitly told. No more.


Disclaimer: I don't own Giovanni, or his pet, or the other critters. Grunt boy's mine.

Author's note: Canon, no. Feel-good, no. This is basically a writing exercise, since I haven't written anything in so incredibly long, Pokemon's the only thing that can prod me to faint life, so here we go. This will be in chapters, actually, whether it gets finished or not is another story.

**_EVER THE_** **_PET_**

**ONE -** **Office and Sentence**

He paces back and forth, slowly, but sharply; with effect. How often can he be seen tiring himself thus?

There is nothing strong about me; I am a very weak person. Only Azure, who is my strength for me. But this is no matter for Azure, this is a matter for humans. Unnatural. Why am I part of this?

The pet's eyes gleam at me through the darkness of the office, shiny orbs intent on my face, yet entirely uninterested. Unaffected. A sharp tap of his heel as he turns snaps it to sit up, give a vague meow of question. I think the pet understands more than it lets on. All the secrets it knows, compared to me. I, who should know none. I want to know none. I'm dead knowing.

A grunt, my role is no more than a grunt. I should not, cannot, understand; know; see; hear. Even as grunt, I can never leave alive. But the plans, a mission, an idea, I know my immediate role. Nothing more.

I'm uncertain, as you must be, why he paces; why it gives him pause. To set an example? There is no need. And no one here to see. This won't be mentioned. It can be imagined. Has been imagined, has happened before, perhaps to countless other grunts. A small leak of information, or maybe a huge one, a soundless death to follow. A quieting. The leak located, the water reabsorbed.

He's stopped, stopped and turned to face me.

Have all gone through this? Those faceless men before me, unwitting possessors of contraband information. All, stared down by Giovanni before turning into the last dark alleyway of their lives?

And he smiles. Cruel smiles, the smiles of this cold man. Smiles heavy with meaning, sinister suggestions of what's to follow.

Before we know it, we are here to serve those smiles. Alone. Directionless. Heartless. It could've been any reason or none at all, our reason for joining, but once a Rocket, it's the smile you chase. There is no smile for you. Am I the only one who sometimes looks for it?

"Your curiosity has generated a problem." His eyes, for a moment, gleam nearly like the pet's.

I never meant to. I never meant to overhear a thing about this plan, about any Rocket plan. Only what I need to know. But my throat is too dry to speak. My lips sealed as if with glue.

"There is a simple solution to this problem." He vaguely wanders closer, the tapping of his black dress shoes, for a moment, the only sound. Then he looks off, as if considering. He'd decided from before I came in. Yet he has a way of conducting business. Flawless. Was this business? Informing a grunt of his sorry fate – of course it's business.

"You don't have a Rocket's eyes." Abruptly I can feel my heart pressing against the roof of my mouth. He'd crooned this maybe a breath away. Then he straightens, pleased by the effect.

No, I don't. My eyes are very telling. They must've been, especially, now. Wide. Frightened. I have a victim's eyes.

"Well," slow, ponderous, a touch sinister, "It doesn't matter." His back faces me now, and gradually he turns. And his voice, when he speaks, purrs like his pet's. "_You_ will complete the mission."

_-- …a mysterious beast lurking in a mountain pass – wanderers mysteriously killed... -- _

"But I—" Know little more than the elements of a fairytale.

When I'd opened my mouth—when I'd forgotten my place and questioned, his black eyes had suddenly gleamed a frightening hue. I barely held myself from collapsing. My heart sank, sank as soon as I realized how I'd spoken out…I had questioned the Boss.

The gleam was mirrored in his smile, accentuated by it. Behind him, the pet was purring loudly, watching me also. Two sets of dangerously burning eyes.

"Dismissed, Aaron."

Once I was out of his office, I collapsed against the hallway wall. Who in his right mind had accepted me as a Rocket – what blind Admin? I couldn't even see his face for the lights, I didn't even remember a voice, I had been so scared--

He'd known my name. He'd glanced at my file before I came in, naturally.

This spell is undeniably strong.


End file.
